Parental Guidance
by FriendLey
Summary: What if Howard and Maria Stark never died but are bored, retired parents worrying over Tony and nagging him to finally marry that charming girl Virginia, bring home some friends who is not just composed of Rhodey, and for crying out loud when is he going to give them grandchildren?
1. 2008

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or any of its characters and lines from the movie used in this story. What is written here is for entertainment purposes only. I do not make any profits from it.**

The Starks have lunch together every Sunday. The get-together is held at Tony's childhood home where his parents continue to reside after he moved out to Point Dume to go and live his bachelor ways.

Sundays weren't always composed of the family catching up over a delicious meal. It only started after Maria had suffered a mild heart attack a few years ago. Being the only woman both husband and son love deeply, Maria's state caused tensions to rise between the two men who have never gotten along, only speaking to the other when something Stark Industries related came up.

Tony blamed Howard for not taking good enough care of his wife while Howard stated that if Tony didn't choose to appear in the news with a scandal every week, his poor mother's heart wouldn't be in distress.

It was at that point that Maria had strained to cry out and beg them both to settle their differences (which weren't many considering how alike the two were and this is probably why they never got along) and for goodness sake learn to love the other seeing as life is short!

Seeing the woman choke up with tears had both Stark men mumbling their sorrys.

It took every ounce of energy from Howard to swallow his pride and to admit in the privacy of their hospital suite that "I haven't been a very good father."

"No shit," Tony muttered under his breath which Howard chose to ignore. Much louder Tony, who was 30 at the time and CEO of Stark Industries, said, "You never saw me as your kid! I was always something you created, something you wanted perfected. Mom was the only one who ever treated me like a human being. Ever since I could remember, you pushed me hard, molding me to become your greatest creation."

"That's because you are, Tony!" Howard walked up to him and held his son by his shoulders. "You are my greatest creation. All I've ever wanted was to see you reach your fullest potential because I know you have so much to offer the world. And I was right. Look at you. You build better weapons to protect Americans than I ever did." He looked away. "I know I never praised you, much less said I was proud of you. I told myself it was because I didn't want you to settle or to become egotistical. I see now that a few words of 'good job' wouldn't have hurt." He returned to face his son. "I'm sorry for not being the best dad. And contrary to how I treated you, I am very proud of everything you've accomplished. That even includes you learning your alphabet a bit later than most kids. I... I love you, Tony. Your mother's right. Life is too short to spend it quarreling or being estranged." He paused, thinking of his next words. "If.. If it's alright with you, I'd like to get to know you... and spend time with you... Not as the CEO of our company but... as my son."

Tony's gaze traveled to his mother, who was waiting expectantly for his reply.

"All I ever wanted was your approval," Tony said quietly, finding it quite hard to say it out loud. His father has always been proud of him? He clasped Howard's shoulders in return. "I'd like to stop fighting too. It's too tiring going up against a fellow genius."

Howard barked out a laugh and gave Tony a hug—his first one.

Eight years later and the family was gathered in the dining room on a Sunday.

Tony rolled his eyes as Maria once again brought up his love life or lack of a permanent and stable one.

"All I'm asking is for you to finally bring a suitable girl home." She reached across the table and took her son's hand. "I'm 77 and your father is 91. We're not getting any younger, honey. And I'd like to leave this earth knowing that you found someone."

Tony sighed and gave her a look, pleading her to stop. He brought his fork up to his mouth to get a bite off his steak.

But she didn't stop. "Are you having trouble with the ladies?"

Tony's already opened jaw dropped even further and he put his fork down before he even had a bite.

His mother continued, "Is that why you can't seem to hold on to them? I've seen the different girls you're with. The Jarvis robot updates me." Maria refuses to call Tony's AI butler simply 'Jarvis' because she maintains that that's for the real Edwin Jarvis, God rest his soul. "Do you need your father to give you some advice? Do you want a woman's perspective?"

Tony cringed and shook his head. "Mom, please. Can we not? Every Sunday, you do this. Aren't you tired? No, I don't want or need girl advice. I do fine with the 'ladies', okay? And can you stop spying me on me via Jarvis?" He returned to his fork and steak, getting ready to finally eat.

Maria threw her hands up. "Then why can't you stick to one girl?"

Tony sighed and set the fork down once more. It doesn't look like he's going to be eating any time soon. He glanced at his father who was watching the interaction with amusement behind his eyes.

Of course, he finds this funny, Tony thought dryly.

He turned back to his mother. "Mom, dad didn't marry you until he was 40 and didn't have me until he was in his 50s. I'm 38! If my math is right, and it always is, I have two more years before I should settle down."

Maria shook her head firmly, "That's two enough years to start looking for a suitable wife and court her." Her face lit up as an idea came to her. "How about Virginia? I like her. She's smart and beautiful."

"Mom," whined Tony, trying his hardest not to blush at the idea of his mother matchmaking him with his assistant. Not that it was a bad thought. Turning to Howard, Tony said, "Dad, a little help?"

Who would've thought he'd turn to his father for backup. But their relationship had improved so much over the years to the point that they bounce ideas off one another. And if there was anybody who could understand his determination to stay a playboy, it was Howard Stark.

Howard swirled his wine glass as he said, "I agree with your mother. Virginia keeps you in line, Tony. Now, that's a woman to marry. It's the reason why I married your mother." He sent a soft loving gaze to his wife who smiled.

Their son frowned. "Not you too! I thought you of all people would understand me!"

Howard chuckled and sipped his wine. Afterwards, he said, "I do understand. I've been where you are and let me tell you that my only regret is not hooking up with your mother sooner. The life of a playboy genius is lonely, Tony. Our inventions don't love us back."

Maria grinned and said, "Tony, listen to your father."

Tony sighed for the umpteenth time and said, "Yes, ma'am."

There was no winning this, not when he's fighting two stubborn and bored retirees. Tony guessed he should at least be grateful for the fact that his parents are still spry and active, and not lying on their deathbeds like most of the people their age. He should just give in and make them happy. Anyway, Pepper isn't a bad candidate for a wife.

He shook the thought away, finally successfully taking a bite of his lunch. His Personal Assistant would smack him if she knew he was entertaining thoughts of marrying her.

After lunch and a few hours of conversing between Tony and Howard about the Arc Reactor, the busy CEO prepared to go home.

"Would you like me to give you a list of approved women?" asked Maria when Tony kissed her on the cheek goodbye.

"Maria, give the boy a break," said Howard, patting his son on the back. Tony mouthed a thank you at him. Howard winked and continued to say, "A list will only give him a reason to prolong choosing. One name will do."

"Virginia," urged his mother, pronouncing the name very slowly and enunciating every syllable.

Tony resisted what has become the natural response to roll his eyes back into his skull. Instead, he decided to curl his mouth to form a smirk. "If it were only that easy. I'm a busy man, you know. Wooing Pepper Potts takes some careful planning. Between the weapons demonstration I have to do in Afghanistan this week, the land mines, and MIT speech, I'm afraid my entire year is full."

This time it was his mother's turn to roll her eyes. She cupped her son's cheek and kissed it. "Be careful in Afghanistan. I know you'll be far from the action, but... Just stay safe."

"Ye of little faith. I'm always careful, mother dear. I'll see you next Sunday," and with a "Bye, Pop" to Howard, Tony climbed into his car.

Contrary to his last words, Tony Stark was not as careful as his mother had hoped. The following week brought Maria and Howard the unfortunate news that their only son had been kidnapped during an ambush that occurred after the demonstration.

Colonel James Rhodes personally delivered them the news. His morose countenance by their entrance doorway had Maria tightly clutching Howard's hand. Once they heard the whole thing, she had buried herself in her husband's chest, staining his shirt with her tears. Howard held her as she sobbed, managing to compose himself for the both of them to ask the necessary questions.

It wasn't their first rodeo. Tony was kidnapped twice when he was younger, once as an 11-year-old and another when he was eighteen. But there was only so much fear and uncertainty that parents can take.

How did this happen was the most important question. Tony was surrounded by top-brass military personnel. How could they have lost him? Furthermore, what's being done to get him back? How many search and rescue teams were dispatched to find the country's top defense contractor? What do the kidnappers want? Was a ransom issued? Has a call been received? And who the hell were the bastards behind the whole thing?

The butler appeared with the cook at one point and escorted Mrs. Stark to the master bedroom, her wails echoing in the mansion.

As soon as Howard got what answers the pilot was able to give, he pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket and began a call.

"Your people will do what you can to find him, James. But so will mine."

Rhodey silently doubted that involving Stark Industries to assist in the search for Tony would result in any fruit. He supposed the old man just needed something to do to feel useful and Rhodey wouldn't begrudge him that.

If Rhodey had voiced out his opinions, Howard would have replied that it wasn't his company he was calling but an entirerly different organization by the name of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Sunday lunches were painfully quiet now; it highlighted the empty chair that Tony used to sit on.

"Howard," whimpered Maria. "Please don't let me bury an empty casket for our son." Drops of tears trickled down her cheeks. "Parents shouldn't outlive their own children."

Howard got up from his seat and transferred to the empty one beside her, abandoning the lunch their cook made. He pulled her against his chest. "There'll be none of that. He's a smart kid, Maria. He'll find a way to escape. He did it the last two times. Plus, he could just annoy his captors to let him go."

It was an attempt at humor but the both of them didn't have any heart to laugh.

"Virginia must be worried sick." Maria looked up at him. "We should ask her to come next Sunday. She takes good care of us." Pepper Potts visits once a week to check up on the couple, bringing any kind of news which was usually the same one—that he hadn't been found—and attempting to cheer them up.

Howard ran a thumb across one of his wife's tear stained cheek. "Good idea. We all shouldn't be alone. We'll invite Hogan and Obie as well."

"Has Nick given you an update?" asked Maria, settling back against his chest, the spot that was her refuge every moment of every day.

"No. There's nothing to update."

By the third month, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the military still haven't found any trace of Tony Stark. Obadiah Stane had already advised his friends to begin a healthy process of mourning as holding on to hope wouldn't do them any good.

Howard was inclined to agree with him but everytime he saw his wife and the emptiness that ruled her eyes, he pushed away the thought. He would never stop searching.

That was when he decided he would join Colonel Rhodes in Afghanistan. After ensuring that Maria would be well taken care of while he was away, he flew to the base.

...

They found him.

On what was ordered by the military to be the last sanctioned search attempt, Rhodey and Howard found Tony walking in the desert, a jacket wrapped around his face to shield himself from the scorching sun and in what must be a state of dehydration.

Rhodey reached Tony first, dropping to the ground to give him a firm hug. Howard was next. He pulled his son up to his feet, checked him out for wounds, and then finally broke down in tears.

"It takes a lot more than terrorists to kill a Stark." Howard wiped the tears away and kissed his son on the forehead in a rare show of affection.

Tony noticed there were more lines on his dad's aging face since he saw him last.

When they pulled away slightly, Rhodey spotted the round glowing object embedded in his best friend's chest and quickly separated both father and son.

"Oh, God! Tony what have they done to you?" Rhodey cried.

Tony knew what he meant. Rodey thought the Arc Reactor was a bomb. Before he could explain, Howard held a firm grip on Rhodey's arm.

"Colonel, I don't think that's a bomb." Howard had created things that went boom before. This was no such object.

"It's alright. It's keeping me alive," was the explanation Tony supplied.

Rhodey nodded and helped him walk back to the helicopter. Once inside, a medic on board ordered Tony a course of antibiotics and fluids.

"You don't happen to have a cheeseburger on you, do you Doc?" asked Tony, followed by a cheeky grin.

It was only after a small meal that the newly escaped prisoner of war revealed the story behind the Arc Reactor (with Howard interrupting a few times, inquiring about the specifications of the chestpiece) and his escape.

Not wasting any minute when they returned to the base, phone calls to the proper people were made and a flight back to LA immediately chartered.

While on the plane, Tony was staring into space, memories of the sounds of gunshots and screams deafening him. The thought of returning to Stark Industries only to make some more of the weapons that was partly responsible for his current situation sent bile rising to his throat.

Suddenly a phone appeared in front of him.

Tony looked up to see his father holding it out to him. "It's your mother."

Tony nodded and took the call. "Hi, mom."

His mother's voice had a soothing effect on him despite the fact that her tone and sobs meant that he spent the entire phone call assuring her that he was well and calming her himself.

"No, I can't stay on the line with you until we land. Other people might call, mom." In a futile attempt to keep his mother preoccupied, Tony suggested "Why don't you work on that list of women? I'll be needing them when I get back... Of course, they won't be one night stands." He doubted there would be any more trysts in his immediate future. His Arc Reactor made sleeping with women he barely knew difficult. "Yes, they checked me out. I'm really fine, mom... I love you too." He could see Rhodey and a few other soldiers snicker at him. "The soldiers on this flight are listening to me talk to you and they're laughing. You're ruining my rep, mom... Yes, I drank a lot of water... Okay, mom. Bye bye. I'll see you soon."

Finally, he hung up.

"You couldn't have told her I was asleep?" Tony raised an eyebrow at his dad.

Howard returned his look with equal measure. "She spent three months crying for you."

Tony lowered his gaze. He meant it as a joke but it was ill-favored for sure. "I'm sorry. I'm grateful, of course. I just..." He trailed off. He had so many things on his mind, so many that he wanted to say. Starting with the company.

Howard clasped him on the shoulder and Tony looked up. "Dad, I-"

"You beat them," said Howard at the same time. "You didn't let them win even though nobody would have blamed you if you gave in. Stuck in a cave with only scraps and you achieved the impossible. Lesser men would have simply given up. Including me. I'm so proud of you, son. And I'm even prouder that you're not making me call for funeral arrangements."

The revelation from his father only proceeded to make Tony feel even more conflicted. Howard just said he was proud of him. Would he still say that if he knew Tony was thinking of shutting down his entire legacy?

"What was it you wanted to say, Tony?"

Tony shook his head. "Nothing."

"Tony, I know you. Nothing is ever just nothing with you."

"It's about the company." The son sucked in a breath, awaiting his dad's response.

"We can talk about that later, alright." Tony exhaled. "Right now, just rest. You've been through a lot. And... I have to talk to you too. There's someone I'd like you to meet when we get back. He's gonna debrief you and a whole lot of other things."

When the doors to the plane finally opened, the first thing Tony spotted was her red hair.

Pepper's hair had always captured his attention. It was the only color he held on to in the dimness of the Afghan cave, the only thing that made his dreams so vivid. Seeing them now and knowing they were real and no longer a figment of his imagination made him walk faster to reach its owner.

His mother reached him before he did Pepper. Maria was hysterical, kissing and hugging and weeping. It was only Howard's words of 'She spent three months crying for you' that prevented Tony from groaning at the excessive show of affection.

"You're thinner," she noted. "And pale. You were stuck in that cave too long." She took her time holding him and checking over every visible area of skin to locate any wounds.

It took minutes for Tony to finally walk up to Pepper and every fiber in his being not to reach out for her hair.

Pepper's tresses weren't the only thing that were red. Her eyes were too and Tony knew his parents weren't the only one who had worried over him.

"Tears for your long lost boss?"

"Tears of joy. I hate job hunting," was her reply. Her voice sounded off too, hoarse and bit raspy.

Howard and Maria watched the interaction with bated anticipation, wondering if Pepper would show Tony an inch of emotion she's shown them the past three months. But Pepper was a professional and reigned her emotions in.

They all got inside the Rolls Royce, his parents and Pepper not willing to take him out of their sight.

"To the hospital, please, Happy," said Pepper to the chauffeur.

Maria nodded her agreement but Howard shook his head. Tony had told him before they landed that they can't go to the hospital. It would risk exposing the RT to the public eye.

"No. The man just got back from captivity, Miss Potts. The hospital is the last thing he needs. I'm sure Tony would like to go home."

"Actually, I'd like to stop by a drive-thru for a cheeseburger and call for a press conference."

"A press conference?" asked Howard, "Tony, that can wait."

"Hogan, drive. Cheeseburger first." Tony turned to his father. He had made up his mind. The only thing left to do was convince his father of the same conclusion. "Dad, I need to talk to you about the company."


	2. Six months after

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or any of its characters used in this story. What is written here is for entertainment purposes only. I do not make any profits from it.**

"How mad is he?" asked Tony, walking into the kitchen of the old Stark mansion.

His mother was slicing french bread by the island.

"Oh, he'll get over it." Maria dropped the knife and kissed her son's cheek. She took the bottle of scotch in his hand and deposited it inside the refrigerator. Returning to her task, she said, "You brought alcohol to lunch instead of a woman. Why am I not surprised."

"Hey, I've stopped sleeping around. That's a major improvement." Tony took one a piece of bread but a slap to his fingers made him let go of it.

"You should have invited Virginia at least. We could have had a celebratory lunch for her promotion."

Tony brightened. At least his mother approved of his decision to make Pepper CEO.

"And risk dad blowing up in her face? No, thanks." Maria deposited the sliced breads to a basket and Tony picked it up to bring to the table.

When he turned around, his mother was studying him. Tony knew he should've taken some measures to cover the dark circles under his eyes or at least tried looking less gaunt. It's a good thing that his mom couldn't see the veins creeping all over his chest.

"Are you alright, honey? You look stressed. Between your superhero duties and those to the company, have you gotten any sleep?"

"Yeah," Tony lied.

Maria pressed her lips together in a firm line, clearly seeing through his words but not calling him out.

"Is he here?" came a gruff voice from the living room. Howard Stark marched in with a scowl on his face.

"Hello to you too, dad," Tony said dryly. He pulled out a chair and took his seat around the table.

His parents did the same.

"Do you know how disappointed I am in your latest corporate decision?" asked Howard as he picked up a slice of bread.

Tony lifted the bowl of pasta and transferred a generous amount of noodles to his plate. "Really? I didn't know that at all. Not after the hundred voicemails you left me." He rolled his eyes and took a forkful into his mouth.

"Tony, I'm serious."

Once he had chewed and swallowed, Tony said, "I don't know why you're so mad. Is it because I didn't ask for your permission? Gee. I wasn't aware that the CEO of the company had to ask his daddy for successor approval."

Howard huffed. "It's not that."

"Is it because Pepper's a bad choice? Dad, you like Pepper! You even said she's the reason Stark Industries is still standing! Or is it because she's a woman? Come on, dad. It's the 21st century. Women hold positions of power now."

Howard banged his fist on the table, but it wasn't as hard as Tony remembered it to be in his youth. "Damn it, Tony! You know perfectly well why. There should always be a Stark in Stark Industries."

Maria opened her mouth to add in a word but decided now wasn't a very good time to talk about grandchildren. Plus, she knew better than to interrupt her husband when he was in one of his moods. She continued to eat.

"A Stark ensures that the business stays firm and pure, that it isn't going to get run to the ground for the purpose of monetary gain! You saw what Obadiah did!"

"And there is a Stark! I'm not leaving, dad. I just vacated a higher position that I never enjoyed, and frankly was never good at, and remained as head of R&D."

Her husband's face was turning quite red prompting Maria to lay a hand over his curled fist and say in a level tone, "Howard, Virginia has been loyal to the company. We all knew she was the true person behind Tony as CEO. She helped him with Obadiah and even handled the stock performance very well when we stopped weapons manufacturing. She's a good choice, better than Obadiah you have to admit."

Tony thought that anybody was better than the murderous, conniving, already dead Obadiah Stane. But he didn't mention that seeing as both he and his father were still coming to terms with Obie's betrayal.

His mother used logic to defend his case and Tony decided to add some more helpful facts. "The stock prices doubled after the announcement." He shrugged. "People are saying Pepper's a sign of stability especially since I have a history of being volatile." He twisted his fork and noodles pooled around it. "And this gives me more time to focus on the Expo," he said as he ate.

Mentioning the Expo was a surefire way of getting his dad to let go of his misgivings.

Howard propped up his elbows and rested his chin on his hands. "I understand the reasoning behind it... And I have to admit that Virginia is a logical successor."

Tony breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment there he thought his father would ask for the reasons why Tony decided to resign in the first place. He didn't want them to find out that he was dying and trying to leave the company in good hands. He sipped his water.

"But to solidify and strengthen your decision, not to mention Virginia's position as CEO," Howard went on, "you should marry Virginia Potts as soon as possible."

Tony choked and Maria brightened at the thought. Tony's nose stung and he coughed, tears springing to his eyes.

"That way there are two Starks within the company and there is at least a chance of your mother and I becoming grandparents. Then, I can die happy knowing that there is an heir to Stark Industries."

Not that again, Tony thought. A child and a widow are definitely not something he should leave behind when he dies.

"You have got to be kidding me," Tony sputtered. "Pepper is— Pepper and I— She's not— I respect Pepper too much to force her to marry me. And I can't believe you would make my marriage to her a business decision! Whatever happened to your insistence that I settle down with a woman I love? This is unbelievable! You guys are unbelievable."

A small smile escaped Howard and Tony realized his dad was only teasing.

The superhero shook his head again muttering "unbelievable" as his parents guffawed at his expense.

The topic changed to address the stunt Tony pulled at Capitol Hill. Maria frowned upon his actions, saying there was a better way to reject the senators while Howard wholeheartedly supported his son.

"Screw the government," said Howard. "And James! Why in the world did he not give you any warning!"

"Pepper and Rhodey think I'm just overreacting."

"Well, you are right to overreact, son," stated Howard, pointing his fork firmly at Tony. "The Iron Man suit isn't a toy that anybody can just borrow. And that Justin Hammer snake had the nerve to name-drop me! He's no different from his own father!" He took a deep drink from his glass.

"His father was a gentleman, darling. You just didn't like that he courted me."

"Damn right I didn't like it!" growled Howard, grabbing his wife's hand and bringing it to his lips. "You're mine."

"Ugh, get a room," Tony grumbled. In spite of his verbal reaction, he was silently glad his parents still had a strong and loving relationship. He prayed to whatever god that was listening that when the time came, it will be steadfast enough to withstand the news that their only son died from palladium poisoning.

After lunch, Howard handed Tony a sheaf of schematics regarding the Arc Reactor technology. Ever since it was successfully miniaturized and its power harnessed, Howard was excitedly and enthusiastically coming up with a dozen uses and applications for it. But Tony couldn't bear to look at the designs; his chestpiece was slowly killing him going against its purpose to keep him alive and breathing. He rolled the papers up and promised he'd take a look. He also told himself he'd break the bad news to his parents soon.

But Tony didn't.

The next time Tony talked about the Arc Reactor with his father was through the phone and regarding a man named Anton Vanko.

"Does the name Anton Vanko ring any bells?"

There was a pregnant pause before his dad answered. "Why?" Tony noted he didn't say yes or no.

"Because his son, who also attacked me in Monaco—I don't know if you follow my life as closely as mom does—said he got his Arc Reactor tech from his father Anton Vanko. I'm on the plane home right now and I don't want to have to wait until I land to ask Jarvis to do a query for me. So, care to share, dad?"

He could hear Howard sigh on the other end of the line. "Anton Vanko was a physicist who worked the Arc Reactor with me. He wanted to make money out of it while I wanted to use it to save lives. He was later arrested for espionage and sent to Siberia."

"And his son?"

"Ivan was a brilliant man. Just like his dad. But the apple didn't fall far from the tree and he wound up selling things that weren't supposed to be sold." There was a sound of shuffling movement. "Tony, Anton was furious at me for taking all the credit of the Arc Reactor and the ice cold weather of Siberia did nothing to stamp out his flame of loathing. No doubt his anger was all his son grew up with and now Ivan wants to avenge his father's death."

"Anton is dead?"

"My sources report that he is, yes. Anton must have shared the knowledge of the Arc Reactor with Ivan. And if Ivan is anything like his father, then you can bet that his hatred for you is just as deep as his father's is for me. Tony, you're looking at a worthy opponent."

"I can really feel the support, dad. Thank you." Tony hoped his voice relayed the sarcasm well. "Listen, I want you and mom to keep a low profile for now."

"He's in prison, Tony. We'll be fine," protested Howard.

"And he found a way to get to me! He targeted me first, dad, but it's clear he has a beef with the whole Stark family. Please, just stay at home. No fundraisers, no public appearances, no parties. Tighten the security."

"Alright, alright. Does this mean we can't come to your birthday party tomorrow night? I would've thought Virginia told you to cancel it."

"Yes, it's still on. And no, I did not let her talk me into canceling it. I'll see you on Sunday, okay?" Tony ended the call before Howard could even say 'Happy birthday.'

It wasn't Sunday yet when Tony was speeding to his parents' home two days after the phone call.

Howard was in his private study when he heard a commotion and angry shouts of "Dad? Dad!"

He exited the room to see his son glaring at the butler while behind him was Agent Phil Coulson who held an apologetic look on his face.

"When were you going to tell me?" bellowed Tony, stalking up to Howard.

"Calm down," said Howard to him and then dismissed the butler and politely greeted the agent.

Coulson waved back awkwardly, wishing that he was anywhere far from the pending argument.

The exchange of pleasantries only seemed to fuel Tony's ire. With hands on his hips, he asked, "Did it just slip your mind to inform me that you founded S.H.I.E.L.D.? That you were a spy!?"

"Ssh! Come here." Howard excused himself and Tony from Coulson who was only happy to hang out by the living room. Howard half-pulled his son to his study.

Closing the door behind them, the father asked, "What is this really all about?"

Tony pointed an accusing finger at Howard, glowering. "You lied to me!"

"I hardly think not informing you about a secret organization can be called lying. I didn't think it was worth mentioning seeing as I no longer involve myself in running S.H.I.E.L.D. and neither do you."

"Not involved?" Tony's nostrils flared. "Phil Coulson is my babysitter, Fury visits whenever he pleases, my hot, new PA is an undercover agent!"

Howard sighed and leaned back against his desk. "Tony, what's going on? First you drunk called your mother last night and gave a speech about living life to the fullest and now you barge in here and demand for answers as if you have a right to them. You can't be this upset just because you found out I worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. only now."

Howard's words rang true. It didn't bother Tony that his dad was a former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. If the timing was any different, he'd hound his old man for some stories. But the timing wasn't different.

The timing was that Tony had spent half a year trying to come up with anything, any chance at all, to save his life, to make sure that his parents would be alright once he was gone, that the company was going to be well looked after. He had even hit a low where he contacted an adoption agency to give his parents the one thing they ever wanted.

The timing was that he resigned himself to the fact that he was dying, fought with his best friend over a suit of armor, and blown up his house only to find out from the really annoying one-eyed man that the solution was staring at him every Sunday over lunch?

Damn right this wasn't about S.H.I.E.L.D. It was more of the refusal to accept that he had been so blind, that the answer was so close.

Tony walked over to the door and turned over the knob to lock it. Turning back around he instructed, "You can't tell mom."

Howard's eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the statement. "Not tell mom what?"

Tony unbuttoned his shirt and finally revealed what Rhodey referred to as a high-tech crossword puzzle on his chest.

Howard's eyes widened and he came closer, leaning forward to get a better look. "Is that..."

"Terminal? Yeah. The palladium core is poisoning my blood and the technology to remove the shrapnel in my heart doesn't exist yet." Tony ran a hand over his face and then buttoned everything back. "I don't have much time left. Maybe a year, two at the most." He watched his father move to the liquor cabinet in the room and take out a bottle of scotch. It was the one he brought over a week ago. "I've tried everything, dad. Every element, every possible permutation of a replacement. But they're not viable."

Howard poured the drink down in two glasses and handed one of them to his son. He stared grimly at Tony who drank the entire thing. The so called genius son of his kept his illness a secret. Howard longed to go back to the days when Tony could still be threatened with boarding school or no allowance.

"From among all of your brilliant ideas, keeping this from us is not one of them," Howard said through grit teeth, trying to put a hamper on his emotions. "Did you even think of what this... this secret could do to your mother if she finds out too late? This could kill her! And me!"

"That's why I didn't want to tell you until I was absolutely sure I don't stand a chance!"

"And when was that going to be?"

Howard received no answer but the air between them said it just as clear as if Tony did reply: not anytime soon.

"We're your parents! I don't care if you had our interests at heart. We're not too fragile and senile to know our son—our only son—is dying!" The glass in Howard's hand shook. "This explains a lot, your erratic behavior, making your PA CEO. You come in here demanding the truth from me. Well, we deserve the same from you!" His chest heaved up and down as he gathered his bearings once more. It's been a while since Howard has had to give his son a lecture. Once he had calmed down with the aid of the glass of scotch, he asked, "Nick give you my notes?"

Tony nodded curtly. This was how they ended arguments; they'd get the weight off their chests and move on to the next matter at hand. It saved a lot of time which was something Tony didn't have an abundance of at the moment.

"I might have something," Howard said.

"Fury said as much."

Howard put a hand on his son's shoulder in a gesture of support, his expression turning into fierce determination rather than exasperation. "We'll find something, Tony. I'll never forgive myself if I let you die and neither will your mother."

...

Tony didn't die.

Together, father and son managed to replace the palladium, just in time to defeat Ivan Vanko. Maria continued to remain unaware and uninformed of the danger her son had come so close to and Howard and Tony agreed never to let her know of it.

Come Sunday, Pepper and Tony were at the mansion for lunch.

"Tony, we should have called first," said Pepper, hesitating by the foyer. She had both hands firmly gripping Tony's right one, holding him in place next to her so he wouldn't be able to leave her side.

To say that she was nervous to meet his parents didn't even come close. She had met them before, gotten along with them even. But that had always been in the context of them being her boss' parents. Now, they were no longer that. They were her boyfriend's parents and the reality made her insides tingle.

Would they like her, disapprove of her? Pepper wasn't a socialite or an heiress to a multinational corporation. She was just... Pepper.

"Pepper, relax. This is my house too. I don't need to call to visit my own house." Tony tried to drag her further into the house but she wouldn't budge.

"You do when you're bringing an unannounced guest!"

"You're hardly an unannounced guest. You're my Pepper. And they want you here. Trust me."

Getting called his Pepper was enough of a distraction and Tony was able to get her to stumble a few steps forward. The nervous expression on his girlfriend's face, however, made him take pity on her. He grinned smugly. "I never saw you so disconcerted. It's a good look on you. Humbling."

She narrowed her eyes at him, nerves momentarily replaced with annoyance. "I hate you."

"You love me."

That was when Maria Stark appeared. "Are my eyes deceiving me or did my son just bring a woman home?"

"Ha ha," said Tony impassively. He glanced at Pepper to see her slipping on a mask of graceful composure. His heart swelled with pride.

"Virginia! What a surprise!" His girlfriend accepted his mother's warm hug and was escorted to the dining room. "When Tony told the cook to prepare for one more mouth to feed, I thought he'd be bringing James. It never occurred to me that he'd bring you. But you are just as welcome, of course. I told Tony last week that we should invite you over for lunch and I'm glad he finally listened to me. "

"It certainly took some convincing," said Pepper as she graciously accepted a glass of wine her host handed her. "Thank you, by the way, for the gift you and Howard sent me." They sent her rare set of fountain pens, one that she assumed must have had a backstory attached to it. The card that accompanied it wrote 'For you to make history.'

"It was well-earned, Virginia. Not only are you the first and only woman my son has ever brought home, but you are also succeeding magnificently with Stark Industries. The response alone to your hands-on clean up of the Expo is entirely positive; you were on the scene, overseeing rescue and reconstruction. I could not have handled it any better myself."

Pepper brightened. Maria Stark's compliments and good feedback weren't without value. Howard and Tony weren't the only geniuses in the family; the matron was also a force in her own right, finding and managing Stark Industries' numerous charities, foundations, and benefits.

"Well, it was all Tony's idea to blow up everything so I could show the world how well I clean up after him," said Pepper coolly.

Maria tinkled with laughter and Tony had the decency to look a tiny bit ashamed over what happened even though the destruction wasn't totally his fault.

"That's why we love you girls. We Stark men have never been good with cleaning up our own messes."

They turned to see Howard join them. Pepper shook his hand and they all settled in their seats.

Tony's act of pulling out a chair for Pepper did not go unnoticed by his mother.

Conversation in the table was Expo related and as they chatted, Maria continued to observe that Tony and Pepper exchanged far too many furtive glances which were always followed by a faint blush rising to the latter's cheeks and an impish grin on the former's. By the time dessert was served, her son's chair had somehow stuck right next to Pepper's and he was stealing pastries from her plate.

There were only three conclusions that could be drawn. One was that a decade of friendship between the two has made them comfortable with one another which would explain the lack of personal space between seats and the thieving of dessert.

Second, the sly exchange of looks and subsequent blushes and grins are indicative of a secret being kept in her house. Did something other than clean-up occur the past few days?

Lastly, Tony was just a gentleman helping a female friend to her seat. Come to think of it, Tony was also the gentleman holding his female friend's hand in the foyer. And Maria heard the word 'love' before she made herself known to them. Were these two...?

Maria decided she liked all of those suppositions and that she needed to have them confirmed as soon as possible.

She quietly cocked an eye at her son who trailed off speaking mid-sentence, staring at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Her pirate face unnerved Tony; it was the one she wore when she wanted him to spill something he would rather not reveal.

"Do you two have something you want to tell me?" she asked.

Tony gulped and looked to his father. She knows! he tried to say with his eyes. Howard's mouth turned down and Tony knew there was no hiding anything from his mother now.

Tony's shoulders sagged. "Mom, I'm sorry we didn't tell you. We didn't want you to worry."

Maria's eyebrows shot up. "Worry? Why would the fact that you and Virginia are in a relationship cause me to worry?"

"What?" asked Howard and Tony in perfect unison.

Pepper blushed at having been prematurely found out. She and Tony were waiting until after lunch to break the news.

"In fact, I'm ecstatic!" cried Maria, eyes lighting up. "Do you know how long I've been dying for this moment?"

Please don't mention dying, Tony thought bitterly.

Maria closed her eyes and pressed a hand to her chest. "Oh, my fluttering heart."

Howard patted his wife on the back, recovering from the scare, and feigned a comforting "There, there." He gave a subtle nod of his head to Tony who let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Maria planted her gaze at Pepper. "You don't know how happy you've made me, Virginia. I cannot imagine a woman more suited for my son. Now, I know he can be difficult—he gets that from his father—but I believe that you are just what Tony needs."

A smile tugged at Tony's mouth. "Mom, don't scare her away, please. I actually like this one."

Pepper's face flushed once more as Tony took her hand under the table and visibly settled it on the surface for his parents to see.

Maria gave an authentic, delighted gasp. "Oh, I've always known you love her, sweetheart! I told you! Didn't I tell you?" She hastily got up and rounded the table to plant a kiss on her son's head and another on Pepper's.

The joy on her face was infectious.

"Well, it's about time," said Howard as Maria returned to her place by his side. He, unlike his wife, was not aware of the interactions going on in his table. "The two of you have been dancing around each other for so long that I wondered if it was going to take your mother to fake a heart attack for you to do what she says." Maria smacked him on his arm.

"I know it's early days but have you and Tony settled on a date yet?" asked Howard.

"Date?" Pepper echoed, not understanding. She looked to Tony to explain.

Tony shook his head. "Wedding date," he explained the inside joke to her. "Dad, Pepper and I just—."

"We're thinking a beach wedding," said Pepper suddenly, giving her boyfriend a coy smile. "That way I don't have to wear high heels. Tony doesn't like it when I'm taller than him. Or maybe a winter wedding, what do you think?" The look on Tony's face was enough to undo anyone and they all burst out laughing.

"Very funny." Tony poked Pepper's side as punishment. "You fit right in with them, you know."


	3. The one where Steve wakes up

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or any of its characters used in this story. What is written here is for entertainment purposes only. It is not for profit.**

There was an unexpected lunch guest when Tony arrived at his parents' home one Sunday. Maria and Howard were already seated at the table and talking to a man Tony didn't recognize. The blond hair cropped short and muscled physique told Tony he must be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. The visitor's face had soft features but despite the equally gentle blue of his eyes, the pair of orbs conveyed a misty and sad man behind them.

"Hi, guys. Who's this?"

Howard looked up and grinned. "Tony, meet Steve Rogers. You remember him, right? Captain America!" He then shared an anecdote of when a 5-year-old Tony lost his Captain America action figure and didn't stop crying until Peggy called to say she found a toy under her pillow. Howard's thoughts took on a nostalgic turn while Tony's was the complete opposite.

Captain America. The last time Tony gave him any thought was when he was 11. Not only did Captain America not rescue him from his kidnappers but Tony had begun to feel his father may love the hero more than he did his own son. Of course, those issues with Howard were settled but it brought back some insecurities.

"He's going to be staying with us until he's ready to live in New York on his own," said Maria and the stranger thanked her silently with his eyes.

The man named Steve—he can't be Captain America because he's dead—rose and shook Tony's hand, politely greeting him, "Nice to meet you, son. Maria tells me you're a hero."

Tony bristled with annoyance at being called 'son.' This guy can't be more than 30 years old. He then wondered as to why felt this way towards the man; he hadn't done anything wrong to Tony.

Tony forced a smile to his face, telling himself to be civil. "Uh-huh. You..." Aah, screw it. "...have got to be kidding me." He turned to his parents. "You're pulling my leg, aren't you? Hired an actor?" He squinted his eyes at Steve and then took his seat. "You're good. You look like him."

Howard laughed and pulled his slightly confused old friend back down. "Tony, this is him. He's been asleep half his life but it's him alright. Didn't age too! Still the pretty boy, huh, Rogers? Maybe I should try to recreate that serum again to get my looks back."

Maria scoffed. "Oh, Howard. You're as handsome as ever. Now, Tony, where's Virginia?" Pepper always joined their son for lunch every Sunday.

"In Hong Kong."

"That girl works too hard."

Tony shrugged, returning to eat his lunch while his father continued to talk to his houseguest.

Tony was content to observe as they did so. When Howard spoke of the war to the man, the latter seemed to reply as if he had participated in it. His vocabulary and references also made him sound like he was an eighty-year-old.

After the meal, Howard and Steve retreated to the former's study. Howard instructed his friend to close the door while he poured some drinks for them.

"Your son doesn't seem to trust me very much," stated Steve.

"Bah. That's Tony for you. He'll believe you're real eventually. Is your metabolism still making sure you don't get drunk?" asked Howard, sliding a glass across the table. Steve sat in the chair directly in front of it and sipped the offered drink. "I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I mean, sure you don't wake up with a hangover and the memory loss of where you've been the night before but then again, what's the point of drinking to forget if all the alcohol in the world can't addle your brain?"

Steve smiled somberly. "I know what you mean. There are times when I wish I could drink myself to a stupor and forget about Peggy and Bucky for just one night, forget about the war, everything I left behind." His eyes glazed over, memories springing to mind: Peggy in that red dress, Bucky grinning at him in his teasing brotherly way, that parting kiss before he dealt with the Red Skull. He shook them away. "But then I realize that I don't really want to forget. In this world, they're all I have." He twisted the glass around with his fingers. "This super soldier serum, it started out as a gift but now... I'm starting to think otherwise."

"Come on, you don't mean that." Steve looked up and Howard saw how vulnerable he looked. It's easy to forget there's still the skinny and insecure young—or is it old?—man under all the muscled exterior. "The serum is the only reason you're still alive right now! It saved you!"

"Saved me for what? The war is over, Stark. I'm... obsolete. I'm a man who is literally out of time." He drank the last of his drink and Howard poured him another.

"War's not the only thing you're good for, you know."

Steve let out a wry chuckle; an image of himself in his old USO costume with an entourage of similarly dressed star spangled women flashed in his mind. "Somehow I don't see myself going back to the stage and soliciting money to support another war."

Howard raised a teasing brow. "I'm not talking about money. I'm talking about how good you were with your lines back then! You can always make it in Hollywood, Cap. Have I told you about Stark Pictures? Sure, it was short lived but I still have some influence in the film industry. You could star in your own Captain America movie. 'Captain America: The Super Soldier.'" He raised his hands high and swept them in opposite directions, envisioning the title. "It'd be a big hit."

Steve ended up laughing and Howard joined him. "You'd like that, won't you? And you'd direct it yourself too! Get the most beautiful English brunette to play Peggy."

They spent a moment coming up with a shortlist of names of actresses who could come close to bringing Agent Carter's resilience and ingenuity to the big screen.

After a while, Steve said, "How about you? You may no longer be a bachelor but you had a successful career, you have a beautiful wife and a superhero for a son. What could you possibly be needing a drink to forget?"

"Well, Maria is one of a kind. It's a miracle she even gave me a chance, knowing my reputation and lifestyle. And Tony," Howard's eyes flitted to the framed photo of his family that was taken when Tony arrived in the military base in LA after Afghanistan. "I spent half his life bullying him, ruining whatever affection he had for his old man, and shaping him into my image just so that he could be a better and smarter version of me. But it never happened. He could only be... him, his own person, Iron Man." He turned back to face Steve. "My history as a father is what I'd like to forget... among other things that make it hard to sleep at night."

Steve motioned for him to go on but Howard said, "Steve, come on. You know I never drink and tell." He winked but nonetheless continued, "This may come as a surprise to you given my dashing and charming good looks but I am not and never have been America's sweetheart." Steve snorted. "I mean, my inventions may have been created to save and advance lives—American lives if you want to bring back the war—hence the assumption that I'm a hero but they weren't always used that way. They somehow wound up in the wrong hands no matter how hard I tried to keep them in mine. And it cost a lot of lives—innocent lives. If it wasn't for Peggy helping me hunt down my weapons back and try to avert every crisis, I'm fairly certain there would have been more deaths in my hands. It was one of the reasons I agreed with Tony to drop weapons manufacturing. A death count was never a legacy I wanted my son to inherit. Nothing good ever came of weapons, Rogers. Well, except this." He raised his glass and brought it to his lips before saying, "Best the money from my weapons can buy."

Another chuckle escaped Steve's lips. "But you still consult with S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Howard nodded, shrugging. "Can't really leave my baby with a bunch of babies. Although it's only rarely when my talents are ever needed. Now, I know you don't like Nick all that much but Nick Fury's no baby. He's quick, methodical. Peggy approved." That was enough of a recommendation for Steve. "Speaking of Peg, you know she wouldn't leave your side when we found you? Knocked out Coulson too. He was one of the agents. Of course, it was only the thought of her children that made her—" He stopped abruptly, seeing a flash of pain cross his friend's face. "Sorry."

Steve waved it off. To learn that Peggy had married and had kids with a man Steve had saved was... shocking. But as painful as it was to hear, he will always be grateful for her husband for being with her when he couldn't. And now that her husband had passed on, Steve was determined to return the favor. Even if it meant simply sitting with her in her room and helping her to a glass of water.

"No, I'm... I'm happy Peggy found someone. And I'm glad I was at least able to change her life in that regard. S.H.I.E.L.D. and kids must have given her a purpose. From what she told me of her days after the war, purpose was the one thing she wanted back." Steve took another sip from his glass and changed the topic. "But I still can't believe it! I know I've said this more than once but you, married? Who would have thought it! It feels like only yesterday when you were smooching girls in expos. With how you are, Maria deserves a medal!"

Howard threw his head back and laughed. "Well, I'm not the very best husband, I can agree with you there. But Maria, to my surprise and also my great gratitude, lovingly and patiently deals with my antics on a daily basis."

"Howard, we're in our 90s. How many more antics can we get up to?" Howard opened his mouth to answer and Steve reconsidered, "Nevermind. Don't answer that. Knowing you, you can find something to drive your wife crazy."

"And I have just the thing in mind." Howard pulled open his drawer and took out an address book. "How about we find you a cute gal to take your mind off things since alcohol can't, hmm? I may be old and off the market but you aren't. What age bracket should we draw the lucky dame from?

"Stark," Steve cringed, "I'm still trying not to blush at the fondue that greeted me in my room today."

Howard cackled. "I knew you'd like it! No need to thank me. Although, you do have to thank Maria. I never did tell her why I insisted there be cheese and bread in the guest room."

A few Sundays passed and Steve still hadn't moved out to New York. Tony, who finally accepted, albeit reluctantly, that Steve was the real, living, and breathing soldier from the war, was beginning to become irritated at the man's presence. All Howard and Steve ever talked about during mealtimes were the conflicts or what Steve missed while he was asleep, how Howard found him, Aunt Peggy, blablabla.

Tony felt like he was a teenager again who had to live up to the standards Steven freaking Rogers set so high. Already in his 90s and it was the same things coming out of Howard's mouth: Steve this, Steve that.

It didn't help that Pepper also found Rogers cute and polite. Of course, she didn't like him in that way but Tony was miffed in the same way he would be towards a rival admirer.

There was one point where Steve had just turned his back and Pepper followed him with her eyes.

"I can't deny you your right to simply appreciate the view," Tony whispered to her. "But it's hard not to become paranoid when you stare at his ass like that. They're not food, Pep!" he hissed.

Pepper flushed red, the color of her cheeks matching her hair. "So does your mother. I don't see Howard losing any sleep over it."

Tony shook away the image of his mother admiring Steve from his thoughts. "You're not gonna leave me for him, are you?" He was a bit nervous to hear Pepper's reply.

She gave him a sultry look followed by a kiss that tugged at Tony's heartstrings. She added a discrete squeeze to his butt cheek before Maria Stark could notice. "I like your ass waaay better."

After Howard and Steve disappeared into the study for the nth time that week, Maria was left to deal with her sulking and envious son. Not that Tony would ever admit he was jealous.

"Do you think they're still talking about the war? God, don't they ever run out of memories to reminisce?" Tony had been sending glares at the direction of Howard's closed door for the past five minutes.

Maria looked at him sympathetically. It would be hard to get Tony to see Steve and Howard's side of things when he's so hell bent on being prejudiced against them.

"Sweetheart, you have to understand that Steve lost all of his friends. He woke up and suddenly Aunt Peggy and your dad are all he has left and even they went on with life without him. He's having a hard time adjusting and Howard is a good anchor for him."

"But does he have to anchor here?" Tony grumbled.

"Oh, honey." She rested a hip on the arm of the chair Tony was sitting on. "I know you feel as if dad's neglecting you-"

"I never said that," Tony pouted.

"Tony, your father will never admit this and don't you dare tell him I said so but," Maria inhaled, "He feels useless. He had a purpose when he was younger, helping win the war, running S.H.I.E.L.D., running Stark Industries. But now, you've grown up and taken over. Your dad wants to be part of this century as much as everybody else. Why do you think he designs all those inventions and upgrades and discusses them with you? He wants to be of assistance. Lord knows how many times he's itched to get inside the Iron Man suit. The only reason he's not flying around in it is because I told him no. He can't stand being idle. He's very much like you, Tony. And now that Steve's back, he's made it his mission to catch the poor man up on things."

Tony looked up hopefully. "So, if I give dad free reign to work on the Mark 7 of the suit he'll stop inviting Rogers over for lunch?"

Maria huffed. "Was that the only thing you got from what I said?"

"Sorry. I just... Well, dad and I only recently began this relationship where he isn't the overbearing teacher I have to please but an actual dad and I..." he hesitated, not wanting to admit the ugly and embarrassing truth.

Maria's gaze softened. Tony was every inch Howard's son. "You don't share," she finished for him.

Tony didn't nod his agreement but his silence was confirmation enough.

Maria's mouth quirked in thought and then she planted a chaste kiss on her son's head. "He will always be your father, Tony. If it bothers you that much, you can always join them in there, you know. You're not unwelcome."

Tony's eyes darted to the closed door and thought that it certainly did feel like he was unwanted. To his mother he asked, "What? Make Rogers a movie called The 21st Century for those Who Missed It?"

Maria giggled. "If that's what it takes. Or you could simply get to know him. I don't care how jealous you are, Anthony, but you adored Captain America. You made me buy those action figures. Don't tell me you aren't the least bit curious about his life."

Tony smiled sheepishly and rubbed a hand on the nape of his neck. "I guess I could ask him about the Howling Commandos or how dad was like back then."

"I'm sure Steve would gladly take the time to talk to you."

Tony nodded his head slowly, considering the options before him. "Orrr I could bring Rhodey to lunch! That way dad gets jealous that I have my own soldier BFF."

"I don't think that's helpful." But Tony wasn't listening, already playing out scenarios in his head.

Rhodey was with them the following week.

"Jimmy, does my son ever let friends come in that house of his over the cliff? Because you are about the only friend he's ever had over in this residence. Never brought home a single one except for you." Maria teasingly narrowed her eyes at her son before turning to Rhodey.

"That's because I hardly made real friends in boarding school."

Rhodey arched a teasing brow at Tony and then said, "He has friends, Maria. The question is whether he can keep them."

"I resent that. You're still around," said Tony nudging him.

"That's because I'm the official liaison to Iron Man. I don't really have a choice." Rhodes' voice had a playful tone and everyone could tell he was kidding.

Steve chuckled from beside Maria. "I only had one best pal, Maria. Trust me, when you've found a true friend, one is enough to get you into all sorts of mayhem. Although, back in my day, I was the one seeking trouble and Bucky had to go pull me out of them."

Tony shot Rhodey a look, almost as if he was telling him that this was what he had to deal with every Sunday.

"Colonel, is General Tobey still in command?" asked Howard as he sliced through his chicken. "I remember he socked me in the jaw for flirting with his sister."

Maria cleared her throat and Howard corrected, "I mean he thought I was flirting with his sister but it was actually the other way around." He scratched his head. "It's not my fault I attract girls and trouble."

Everyone laughed.

"He retired a year ago and it took some convincing too," said Rhodey.

"Always attached to the job, Tobey was." Howard went on to ask about the current defense contractor and Tony found himself listening in, curious about who had replaced Hammer.

When Rhodey revealed the name, Howard expressed his displeasure. "He doesn't know the difference between his own two feet!"

"I'm sure you're exaggerating," said Steve but Howard, to Tony's pleasure, ignored the comment.

"He's an improvement but barely. Still, anybody's a step up from Hammer." Howard shook his head slowly at what he deemed was an absurd move by the military.

After lunch, the retired inventor brought Rhodey to his office to talk some more, leaving Tony and Steve together much to the amusement of Maria. Her son's plan to make her husband envious and invite Tony in his office had backfired.

With the pretense of helping the cook with a matter in the kitchen, she left the two boys alone.

"I see Howard is still very passionate about defense, no matter what he says about being against weapons," said Steve.

Tony folded his arms. "It's actually one of the rare things we agree on. He has this speech on saving lives. Have you heard it?"

The veteran nodded. "Howard always had a soft spot for humanity," Steve turned to Tony. "And for you too."

Tony's forehead wrinkled, not suspecting that. "What do you mean?"

"You're all he ever talks about when we're in there, you know," Steve motioned to Howard's study.

"Me," said Tony skeptically. Of all the stories he thought they were exchanging in private, ones of Tony were far from what he imagined.

"Yeah," Steve replied as if was the simplest and most obvious of all answers. "He'll say how he's so proud of you for making your own legacy and forging your own path. Sometimes he'll admit that he's slightly annoyed at you for upstaging him in certain areas. We'll chat about other things but you always come up in the conversation one way or another. To tell you the truth, I'm grateful for the respite Rhodey's presence provided. No offense but there's only so much talk about you that I can take."

"Hmm." Tony eyed the soldier to see if there was any truth to his words. Eventually concluding that it must be the truth because Tony is a very wonderful son any parent would be proud of, the billionaire touched a hand to Steve's arm and they sat on the sofa in the living room. "Tell me about the Red Skull. Did he really have a red skull?"

Steve gave what Tony thinks can only be a righteous laugh. By the time it was 2 in the afternoon, Tony discovered that Rogers wasn't so bad and he might even consider him a friend.


	4. The Avengers

**Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or any of its characters used in this story. What is written here is for entertainment purposes only. It is not for profit.**

Having Tony Stark for a son is both a blessing and a challenge for Maria Stark. She conceived him when she was 39 years old after years of desperately trying to get pregnant. When she held him in her arms after an agonizing 10-hour labor, she knew she wouldn't want for anything else what with a loving husband and a beautiful child making her existence utterly complete.

Tony was a gift from the good Lord and Maria made every effort to be the best mother in the world. Her baby was the sweetest child; he was quiet and calm, rarely shrieking and wailing at ungodly hours like most infants were wont to do. Tony was content with being held by either one of his parents and curiously took in everything his eyes could see.

"I think we should take him to see the pediatrician," Maria told Howard after finding Tony's lack of cries odd and abnormal. But Howard dismissed it saying that as soon as the boy hits puberty he'll give her enough grief to make up for his peaceful infancy.

He only turned out half right. Tony hadn't even reached puberty yet, being only 2 years old, but he was already running around the house, tiring the legs of poor Edwin Jarvis, knocking over furniture, and sneaking in critters into the house. He would create complex structures with his toy blocks and learn to rebuild his toys faster than he can take them apart. There was no doubt that Tony inherited Howard's above average intelligence and it wasn't easy being a mother to a child who was smarter than her.

Tony flew past the childhood milestones—walking, talking, potty-training, writing, and soon he was entering college. It was often that the mother of one found herself confiding her worries to Howard, terrified that Tony was growing up too fast and would miss the joys of a normal childhood. She even consulted a dozen books on how to raise a child prodigy, all of which were still on her bookshelf beside her favorite cookbooks.

Even as an adult, Tony could be difficult. He used to immerse himself in female and alcoholic flavors of the week or his 'life of sin' as Maria called it. Although, thankfully her son's involvement with Virginia Potts has ended all of that.

There was also the fact that Tony was still childless. Neither did his night-job as a superhero make it easy for Maria's peace of mind and she wanted for nothing more than to see him retire his suit. However, Tony would never be convinced to put away the Iron Man armor and Maria would rather not waste the energy on trying to convince him to do so. She reminded herself that there are other more achievable and workable goals for her son.

Lately, Tony and Virginia haven't been to the house to visit Maria and Howard since they temporarily moved to New York to oversee the construction of Stark Tower. Sundays were bereft of the presence and entertainment that the young couple provided and Maria resorted to calling them often.

Tony didn't keep her waiting when she dialed him up today and he answered on the third ring. "Hi, mom. How was the charity benefit you and dad attended?"

Maria hosted another one of her famous benefits yesterday afternoon to raise support for war veterans and prisoners of war. "Eventful. We raised 6.8 million dollars," she proudly shared.

"Allow me to close that to 7 million then."

Maria smiled at the receiver even though Tony couldn't see it. "That will do perfectly, dear. Thank you." She remembered her Achievable Goal and asked, "Are you and Virginia using that quilt I gave you? I hear it's quite cold now in New York." Before they left, she gave them a going away present in the form of a tribal patterned blanket.

"You mean the baby maker?" Tony's exasperated tone made Maria wince. She was rather hoping he wouldn't know the quilt's history. "Pepper really loved the pattern and had Jarvis look it up. Apparently, it's a design used by African tribes for fertility. But of course, you knew that."

Maria sighed. Tony was unnecessarily sensitive when it came to baby related matters.

So, the Achievable Goal was to get Tony and Virginia pregnant. Maria had long given up the dream of ever seeing her son and his girlfriend walking down the aisle and had simply resorted to brazenly planning for a grandchild. Was that such a crime?

"Now, I don't like your tone, young man. I had no idea that blanket was ceremonial," she lied. "If it has any fertility powers, then that's merely coincidental."

"Uh-huh."

"And since when have you ever put any stock in such hokum? Aren't you a man of science?"

Tony must have put Maria on speaker because Virginia chimed in, "He likes to think himself also a man of god."

Maria lit up at the voice of her unofficial daughter-in-law. "Oh, hello, Virginia, dear. Is that you? How are you feeling?"

"What my mother really means to say is are you feeling pregnant yet?" came Tony's wry voice.

Pepper laughed. Maria loved that she took everything in with a pleasant air. "Not yet, Maria. Maybe soon." Maria repressed a triumphant squeal at the word 'soon' whereas Tony's eyes bulged from its sockets. "Tony and I have been a bit busy with the tower."

"Has he been neglecting you? It isn't the first time Tony, or his father for that matter, put work first." Making both Stark men even consider a snack break when they were overcome with inspiration was as hard as it took to convince Peggy Carter to retire.

"Mom!"

Maria's lips turned up at her son's mild scolding. "Just teasing, honey. Now, how is the tower coming along?"

"Very nicely. You and dad will love it," replied Tony. Another voice in the room spoke before Maria could reply and not a minute later, Tony was making his goodbyes, something about a mission or another.

"Alright. Be careful. I love you both." Maria put the telephone handle down and tried to exhale away the unease she felt everytime something Iron Man related came up.

Having a husband who used to run a secret organization and apprehend dangerous criminals was enough anxiety for one lifetime. To have Tony take up a business that's along the same line of work was threatening to cripple Maria's nerves.

Every time there's a mission for Iron Man, Maria found herself getting all up in a tizzy trying not to pick up the phone to call her son just to find out if he's still alive. But not only would that distract him and allow for the possibility of him getting harmed by the enemy, but Tony might also get the wrong impression and assume that his own mother had no trust in his abilities to save the world.

Unfortunately, unlike the New York Times Bestseller "Keeping Up With Your Prodigy," there are no books on raising a superhero.

Risking one's life for the greater good is a very noble profession, Maria thought, rising from her seat. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

She huffed out of the room and into the kitchen to consult with the cook and contact the caterers. The Maria Stark Foundation's 30th anniversary was approaching and there's a menu that must be prepared.

She filed a mental note to also remind the butler to call the plumber to fix the broken shower head in the master bathroom. If the man didn't arrive tomorrow, she was fairly certain her husband would try to repair it himself and that wasn't a prospect she wanted to happen.

But it did happen much to Maria's dismay. She had gotten so caught up in the planning of the celebration that the call slipped her mind. To Howard's credit, he waited a day before acting on his need to prove himself the man of the house; his pride just didn't allow for plumbers or technicians to be called when he was perfectly able to fix broken household appliances.

At present, Maria was glaring at her husband who was lying on a hospital bed. His jaw and left upper arm was covered in purple bruises, while his right arm was hidden in a cast.

"Maria, don't you dare," said Howard, raising his right good arm in tired annoyance.

Maria shot him a stern look and Howard pressed his lips together. She turned her back to him, hand tightly gripping her cellphone. Loud rings filled the room as she waited for her son to answer. She was doing the one thing she wanted to do when he was on an assignment but never could—calling him.

There was a click and she knew Tony had picked up. Without waiting for another second, Maria spoke. "Tony, you are on speaker and you need to talk some sense into your father." She faced Howard who was scowling at her for ratting him out. "The shower head was broken and I wanted to call the plumber but your father took it upon himself to fix it."

"That's because I can!" shouted Howard, his injury may have rendered him a bit weak but it had no such effect on his voice box... or his resolve. "I can fix a broken shower head, Maria! I've worked on more complicated machinery. Just because I'm old doesn't mean I'm useless!" He attempted to fold his arms and then remembered that one of them was in a cast.

Maria sniffed, her nose up in the air.

To Tony she said, "Well, fixed it he did, but slip and break his arm he also managed to do," and to Howard she added, "It's only by God's intervention that you're still alive!"

Incidents in the past came to mind: Howard testing his inventions on himself, getting electrocuted, getting his eyebrows singed or his hair burned.

On the other end, Tony was wishing he had a sibling to share the migraine that was coming on. Sometimes he felt like his parents needed parental guidance more than he did himself. "Dad, you can't go fixing shower heads at your age!"

"My age?" asked Howard, affronted. "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." He hated that his age limited him. To have that fact thrown at his face, well, there was no way he's going to accept it.

"We're at the hospital right now and he's not being the most cooperative patient." In a span of 10 minutes since having entered the room, Howard had already shouted at a nurse and threatened to fire him, not that he could. "So, I need you to talk some sense into him," said Maria, walking closer to the bed.

"Tony, I need you to talk some sense into your mother. It's only a broken arm and they already fixed it. I don't need to stay in the hospital for crying out loud!" Howard calmed a bit and he captured his wife's hand with his left one. "Maria, you're overreacting."

His wife squeezed his hand. "I'm not denying the truth in that statement, but you will only overexert yourself as soon as you get home. So, I'd rather you stay in here than find something else to take apart in the bathroom."

Tony groaned. "Okay. I don't have time for this. Have you seen the news lately? I'm battling against gods and aliens here!" As if to prove his point, his parents heard him strain against something and muffled sounds of an explosion echoing in the suit, traveling over the phone's speaker system.

Howard's head perked up while Maria paled. "Extraterrestrials? Maria, turn the TV on!" But she was already scrambling at the remote and flipping through channels. "Are they gray or green?"

Maria gasped and grabbed Howard's hand again for comfort.

The news report was showing a slow motioned playback of the Hulk charging at buildings, roaring as he scrambled to get certain creatures off his back (they were more silver than gray or green). A spot of red and gold could be seen zipping past in the background. The video changed to show dozens of civilians being herded to the subway, all of them screaming, their hands to their heads or to their loved ones.

"I'll send some pictures for you to peruse over," Tony said sarcastically. "Look, dad, you could've broken your neck or hit your head. It's even a wonder you managed to reach 90 with your lifestyle."

Howard's head whipped back to the mobile phone. He looked insulted. "What are you attacking my lifestyle for?"

"Cigars, booze, women."

"That was decades ago!" Howard barked back, turning to face the TV again. This time he could see his old friend, Steve Rogers, in his Captain America uniform. Howard glowed with pride at the sight of Rogers finally doing something he was born to do. He felt a pull deep inside his gut and Howard lifted his legs and swung it over the bed.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked Maria, tugging him back down to the soft mattress.

With only one working upper limb and Maria being younger than him, Howard struggled against her. "I'm going to help them is what."

Maria dropped her hands, dumbstruck at her husband's plans. Howard wouldn't last two minutes in the conflict zone! With just one functioning hand he can hardly be expected to fire a handgun let alone aim with his aged eyesight. She placed her hands on her hips, about to pull the Wife Card when her son, bless that smart boy, beat her to it. Although, Tony had a different card in mind.

"If you want to live long enough to see a grandchild, you're gonna stay right there," Tony said tightly. His voice was laced with exhaustion but he was still determined. There was absolutely no way he was having his father enter the line of fire; he had enough civilians to protect than to add in a meddling, old man.

Howard hesitated, staring at the phone and then to the television. He wondered when having a grandkid was more important than helping save lives.

In New York, Tony had just gotten through the tail end of that whale of a Chitauri and was hurled to the ground, his breath knocked out of him. He struggled to his feet, his heart racing fast from seeing the inner workings of the being, fending off incoming attacks, and from the suspense of waiting for his dad to call on his bluff.

Tony knew it was unfair dangling the idea of a grandchild at his parents' face when he had no such plans of being a father yet. But it was the only way to get them to listen and quickly end the conversation because more aliens just kept on coming from the black hole.

"Please, stay here," whispered Maria, her voice inaudible to Tony but not to Howard. "With me," she emphasized. "It's bad enough our son is out there in the thick of it. Am I going to have to fret over you too?"

Howard looked at the unshed tears pooling around his wife's eyes. He sighed. He could never say no to her.

He nodded and settled back in the bed.

Maria brought the hand phone closer to her mouth. "I think he got the message, sweetie. Be careful. We love you. Don't we, Howard?"

Howard only grumbled in response.

"Love you too, dad," said Tony, smirking at his father's childish behavior.

He was passing by a roaring Hulk when Hawkeye's voice came through the comms. "Do you need me to prepare a bottle of milk for you, cupcake?"

"Shut up."

Back in the hospital's private room, Howard had made some space for his wife on the bed and the two were anxiously watching the Battle of New York unfold.

Maria was entertaining thoughts of writing a book about her life as a mother to a superhero while Howard was thinking of calling S.H.I.E.L.D. But he eventually decided against it. What could he possibly tell them to do that Fury hasn't thought of?

It appears as if there was no end to the destruction; when the vast number of aliens showed the smallest sign of decreasing, a new wave arrived taking their place. Even Thor's mighty hammer could only destroy so much of the enemy.

At the back of his mind, Howard wondered if the Asgardian would lend him the weapon to study for academic purposes.

Maria stiffened by his side causing Howard to focus on the events again.

"...we do know that billionaire Tony Stark's Iron Man is intercepting what looks to be a missile headed for the city," reported the news lady.

"What is he thinking?" asked Maria. At the same time, Howard exclaimed, "He's crazy!"

Maria clutched at her slacks, her knuckles growing white. There was no time for words, no time to even breathe.

Her eyes followed the familiar colors of Iron Man traveling up and up into the wide black hole in the sky until—she wheezed for air—Tony disappeared into space. It wasn't long after that when the aliens in the streets fell to the ground almost as if somebody had shut off their power source. Maybe someone did.

Tony, Maria thought.

The camera was still trained on the black hole and Maria could feel everyone who was watching the news collectively await Iron Man's descent with bated breath. But he didn't appear and the hole started getting smaller, threatening to blink out of the sky without so much as spitting her son back out.

Hot tears slid down Maria's cheeks and she whimpered. Nobody certainly wrote a book about this—what to do when a loved one disappears through a worm hole. Was Tony even still alive, simply drifting in space through time, or was he gone forever?

Howard let his wife slink down to his shoulder, the space between his neckline and sleeve growing sticky and wet. He blinked vigorously, trying to keep his own tears at bay. This was no time to cry, not when Maria was in such a state.

The news channel began to broadcast the aftermath of the fight, panning to the faces of the heroes, the fallen, and even the alien. Howard shut the TV off, there was no need to see more of what had been lost today.

"Let's make sure the Stark Relief Foundation is on the scene," he managed to say without choking.

Then the sobs in the room was broken by a shrill ring coming from Maria's cellphone. Howard reached over and answered it, pressing the phone against his ear.

"I do hope you guys aren't planning my funeral yet."

The hairs on Howard's arms stood up, his face drained of all color. There was no mistaking that voice.

"Tony," breathed Howard. "You survived?"

Maria's breath was caught in her throat. She grabbed the phone and screeched, "ANTHONY EDWARD STARK! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

While his wife talked—more yelled than talked—to their son, Howard was still in a daze, trying to come to terms with the fact that he almost lost Tony again and got him back... Again.

He turned the TV on and this time it showed all six heroes walking together, headed somewhere, and what appeared to be Tony wincing as he held a cellphone to his ear.

Howard let out a deep sigh of relief and as soon as he did so, the tears descended. He hadn't felt that much fear since Afghanistan. He felt Maria's hands curl around his arm and she kissed him softly on the temple. She's more glad than ever that he decided to stay in the hospital.

"He's safe. New York is safe," she said quietly.

Her words echoed in Howard's head. Safe. Yes. He's not dying or dead. He managed to defeat aliens. Tony and his friends.

"Give me the phone," Howard quickly told Maria who raised a questioning brow but handed it to him nonetheless. She watched him type in a message and then press 'send' when he was finished.

Howard looked up to his wife.

Maria smiled. "I'd like that very much."

...

In a shawarma store in Manhattan, Tony's phone beeped at a notification. It was a text that read, "Bring your new friends over this Sunday for a post battle feast. Make sure Thor's hammer is in attendance."

Tony let out a throaty laugh, highly amused at the thought of bringing friends over to his parents' house for show and tell. What was he? A teenager?

Thor, who sat beside him and was stuffing a shawarma in his face, peered sideways to read what was on his phone screen. "A feast!" he boomed to the rest of the seated heroes, bits of food escaping his mouth. "We have been invited to dine at a celebration!"

Tony sent him an icy look. "Swallow before speaking, would you? And no, there will be no feast or celebration. I'll just tell my parents that we're all busy and—"

"Your parents are hosting a party?" asked Bruce.

"It's not a party," mumbled Tony. "More like a get together we do every Sunday. Just this Stark tradition which we all can't attend because we're busy and—"

"Who says we're busy?" asked Clint Barton. "I'm not busy. Party at Casa Stark? That only means a) good food b) good booze. And I don't know about you but I need some good, rich booze." Clint rubbed his elbow painfully; it was still sore from when he fell earlier. Yep. He needed a drink.

The rest of the team nodded, almost as if they heard his thoughts.

When Sunday came, Tony wished he had just shut his stupid mouth at the shawarma place.

Howard was seated at the head of the dinning table with Maria, Steve, Natasha, and Clint on one side, and Tony, Rhodey, Bruce, and Thor on the other. James Rhodes had come from Hong Kong dealing with a Ten Rings situation. He got back to find New York City destroyed and his best friend eating shawarma. He was then introduced to the team and was extended an invitation to the victory feast.

"Thor, I have to ask you—"

"Howard, please. Not over lunch," scolded Maria as she placed a slice of Shepherd's pie on her husband's plate.

"After then?"

"Yes. You and Thor can spend all the time talking about that hammer of his. For now, we will get to know Tony's friends." She gave each one of them a welcoming grin. "We will not talk of work. That includes anything Avengers related or any sacrificial deeds." She cast a look at Tony when she said the last part.

Tony looked away, his food becoming so interesting.

"Tony has never really played well others," said Maria, "but I'm glad that he had the opportunity to fight side by side with all of you. I trust that you will also continue to keep him from coming home in a coffin. Bruce, thank you again for saving him. No more of that sacrificing yourself, do you hear me?" Maria demanded from her son. She hadn't been able to let the matter drop since the phone call in the hospital and it didn't look like she will in the near future.

"Maria, darling, you're talking about work," reminded Howard.

"Right," said his wife, checking herself. "How long have you been together, Natasha, Clint?"

Tony coughed, concealing a laugh. He's been teasing the two assassins since the battle ended.

"Being partners for more than 10 years, Nat and I have only ever been best friends, ma'am." Clint and Natasha shared a knowing smile and Tony had a feeling they were both hiding something.

The archer may have mentioned his deep friendship with the spy to deter any of Maria's plans, but that had never stopped her before. She knew that the strongest and most intimate of relationships come from a deep friendship.

"Well, Tony was only friends with Virginia but I managed to get them together."

Tony leaned close to Rhodey and muttered, "She acts like she was the one who kissed Pepper in the rooftop."

"My wife is a self-proclaimed matchmaker, Barton. If it's not Tony, it's Rhodey, Steve, the chauffeur, or in this case you," explained Howard.

"How about you, Bruce?" Maria turned to the scientist who shyly looked up from his plate. It amazed Maria that the man could turn into a raging beast but be this reserved in human form. Maybe I should invite him to my functions to draw him out of his shell, she thought.

"Um... Well," somehow Bruce couldn't bring himself to lie to a woman who only reminded him of his own mother. "There is someone but we can't... For her own safety, I, uh, have resolved to stay away."

Maria frowned. She never liked it when men took it upon themselves to protect females without ever asking for the latter's opinions about it. "I don't think the lady in question will appreciate that. We're made of firmer stuff, you know, and we all like a little thrill in our lives."

Bruce looked a bit horrified at the thought of putting Betty Ross' life at risk for a 'little thrill.'

"I'm sure Bruce can handle it on his own, Maria." Howard winked at Bruce. Turning to Thor he said, "Just out of curiosity, Thor, do you have doctors in your world?"

"Doctors?" asked the Asgardian, unfamiliar with the term. He took another bite of his pie which was his third serving.

"Well, considering that you are a god, I wonder if you would have any need for healers."

Thor shook his head at the common misconception. "We are not immortal. We can be injured and healed, we live and die. As such, aye, we have healers or doctors as you call them in our realm but we are not gods that dictate and control the workings of the universe."

Maria's eyes twinkled. "But you're called the God of Thunder in our myths. So, is there a God of Fertility that you can give me the name of?"

Tony put his fork down in exasperation. "Mom, seriously. Pepper and I will get pregnant when we're ready."

"It's not for you, dear," replied Maria, refusing to meet Tony's eyes.

"Right. Like I'd believe you and dad are trying to give me a sibling."

Rhodey laughed freely, having witnessed Maria's pestering on more than one occasion.

"Bruce, sweetie, have some more." Maria passed him the plate of pie, ignoring her son's pointed staring. "You're eating for two, you know."

Tony groaned. Only his mother would make feeding the Hulk sound like Bruce was pregnant. But then he told himself that it felt a bit liberating to have Maria Stark fuss over his friends and not him for a change.

"You know the Starks, right?" Clint asked Steve quietly while Howard continued to fire question after question at Thor. "Hang out with them and all that."

Steve nodded. He lived with them for a month before moving to New York. He couldn't be more grateful to Howard and Maria who became his new family. Living on his own in his apartment terribly paled in comparison to living with the Starks. The only consolation was that he got to be closer to Peggy.

"Is this a normal lunch for them?"

"Well, with Avengers for guests you can hardly expect a normal conversation."

"Fair point." Clint dipped his mouth into his whiskey.

His keen sense of sight noticed a movement in his peripheral vision and he followed Maria's form as she rose from her seat.

"Howard and I have always wanted to do this," said the host, disappearing out the kitchen while the cook entered to lay out the dessert.

"Do what?" Tony asked his dad who only shrugged.

Maria walked back in, giddily carrying her phone. "But we never had an opportunity because Tony hardly ever brought home any friends. So, I hope you'll indulge an old woman."

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"Taking a picture. It's for the gallery, dear. You didn't think I wouldn't document this moment when you finally have a group of friends over, did you?" Maria pulled the two nearest Avengers out of their chair and gestured to the rest to do the same. "Come on. Gather around Tony."

"Yes, ma'am." Clint snickered and sauntered around the table to stand beside a blushing Tony Stark.

"Howard, you stay there. Let it be just them for now. Tony, James, turn your chairs around," stated Maria.

The group was finally in position. With their backs to the table, Clint stood beside a seated Tony and was raising bunny ears atop the latter's head. Rhodey was on Tony's other side and trying his hardest not to burst out laughing while his best friend glared at him. Beside the pilot was Bruce who struggled to stand straight due to having Thor's heavy arm slung around his shoulder. Natasha and Steve were looking amused as they crouched by Rhodey's and Tony's legs.

Maria raised her phone. "Okay, squeeze in please, so you all fit in the camera."

A yelp was heard as Thor extended his arm to include Rhodey's neck and Bruce found himself half sitting on the colonel's lap.

"Perfect! Smile and say 'cheese!'"

Everyone with the exception of Tony and Bruce said cheese.

"You midgardians have the strangest traditions," said Thor, letting go of Bruce and Rhodey.

"I'll make sure to ask for a copy for my scrapbook," Clint whispered to Tony before he moved away from him.

Maria inspected the photo and giggled at the goofy smiles and faces. She sighed in contentment. Tony wasn't going to be alone any longer with such good friends to keep him company.

"Maria, get one of Banner, Thor, and me," instructed Howard, standing up and beckoning at the scientist and the prince.

"This is why I don't invite friends over," Tony hissed to Rhodey. "My parents are embarrassing!"

Behind him, his mother said, "Thor, I am taking you shopping. You can't live on borrowed clothes. You too, Bruce. We'll get you those stretchable ones." Thor asked what shopping was while Bruce protested. Maria wagged a finger at him. "Uh-uh. I won't take no for an answer."

Tony raised a palm to his face.

"It could be worse," shrugged Rhodey.

"How could it be worse?"

Rhodey looked at the rest of the Avengers. "Most of your super friends probably don't even have parents anymore."

Tony looked around and saw Maria try to get Bruce to eat a second helping of dessert and then scold Clint for stealing some of Natasha's cake when he could get his own. She also traded Clint's third glass of liquor with water much to the latter's disappointment.

Rhodey was right. The assassins, in all likelihood, don't have parents or a biological family anymore. Steve and Bruce certainly don't. Tony's lucky enough to have annoying, retired parents than none at all.

He tried to imagine what life would be like if Maria and Howard Stark were never around to smother him and now, his new friends, with affection. He didn't like what he saw.

"You're right. I should probably give them that grandchild, huh?"

"Ehh, I think your parents have their hands full with this lot for now," said Rhodey.

At that moment, Maria was thinking of writing a book entitled, 'Raising Superheroes.'


End file.
